A massive storm passed through early one morning. Pouring rain, boisterous thunder, and spears of lightning illuminating the darkness. Within half an hour it had moved on, leaving my community drenched but otherwise unscathed. We soon heard reports that a neighboring town didn\u2019t fare so well. Residents were mourning more than property loss\u2014injury and death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life\u2019s\nstorms sometimes linger a while, leaving us battered and scattered\u2014like the\naftermath of a tornado\u2026unthinkable devastation. Stunned at the carnage, we\nwonder. How can I recover? Will life ever be normal again? Where would I start\nto rebuild?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Television\nnews reporters covering natural disasters always interview survivors determined\nto rebuild. Giving up is unthinkable. They\u2019ll sift through what\u2019s left and\nstart over. They say with defiance that inspires, \u201cWe\u2019re alive! The rest is\njust stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Circumstances often carry us to places we never intended to go. Places we long to escape. Hard places and dark, making us feel alone\u2026abandoned\u2026hopeless. If only we could get back to normal\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Circumstances often carry us to places we never intended to go. Places we long to escape. Hard places and dark, making us feel alone\u2026abandoned\u2026hopeless. If only we could get back to normal\u2026 <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Sometimes\nwe can make our way back there. Sometimes we have to begin rebuilding where we\nare. The destruction stripped us. Of plans. Perspective. Passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I\nstudy the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the land of promise, one\ndetail captures my attention: God\u2019s strong arm and mighty hand. I underline\nevery reference, feeling awe that with his strong arm and mighty hand, God was\nalways leading. No matter how bleak the circumstances, his powerful hand rested\non his chosen people and brought them to safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I made\na note in my journal: Lord, I never want\nto be without your hand on me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you feel as if God has removed his hand? That you\u2019re swirling in a horrendous storm and either God doesn\u2019t know or doesn\u2019t care?<\/p>\n\n\n\nDo you feel as if God has removed his hand? That you\u2019re swirling in a horrendous storm and either God doesn\u2019t know or doesn\u2019t care? <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Jesus\nand his disciples were in a ship when a great storm arose. He had fallen asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaster, carest thou not that we perish?\u201d cried his disciples. Jesus arose, rebuked the wind and said to the sea, \u201cPeace, be still.\u201d The wind ceased and the sea grew calm. He said, \u201cWhy are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?\u201d They marveled that the wind and sea obeyed him (see Mark 4:35-41).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a\nmoment to assess the situation. You\u2019re alive. The fact that you\u2019re still\nbreathing shows you are here on purpose. As you sift through the rubble, gather and cherish remnants\nof faith to rebuild. Remember this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can rest in the safety of his presence and rebuild, relying on his almighty strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid\u2026\u201d (Psalm 91:1-5a).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Storms\nand hard places change us. Reflecting, I recognize value in the upheaval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Had I\nnever spent time in hard places, I would not have known the softness of his\nfeathers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Had I never struggled with devastating weaknesses, I would not have known the strength of his mighty hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Had I\nnever experienced painful disappointment, I would not have known the radiance\nof his hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My life changed when I learned to depend on Christ for my peace and my strength. Not another human being. Not my circumstances. On Christ alone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please tell me about the storm that wrecked your life and how God’s strong arm led you to rebuild. I’d be grateful if you’d share this article with your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2020<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A massive storm passed through early one morning. Pouring rain, boisterous thunder, and spears of lightning illuminating the darkness. Within half an hour it had moved on, leaving my community drenched but otherwise unscathed. We soon heard reports that a neighboring town didn\u2019t fare so well. Residents were mourning more than property loss\u2014injury and death. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[493,9,494,496,438,426],"class_list":["post-1258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-after-the-storm-then-what","tag-dianne-barker","tag-jesus-calmed-the-sea","tag-jesus-never-sleeps","tag-living-the-maximum-life","tag-psalm-91"],"yoast_head":"\n